Your opinion on Fender Hot Rod Deluxe IIIs?

[Kurbis]

Or maybe just Hot Rod Deluxes in general?

[Will]

Are you going to be using it for gigs/rehearsals?

The problem with the Hot Rod series is that they are built too tight. The heat builds up in the chassis and all the vibration breaks apart the solder joints, especially the ones that connect the tube sockets to the board. If used consistently at gigging volume, sooner or later the circuit starts to shake itself apart. Tracking down the cold solder joints is a BITCH.
The bigger problem with any 6L6 combo is tube microphonics. The size, weight, and complexity of parts inside a 6L6 (plus not being very toughly made anymore) make it especially vulnerable to this when it's getting constantly shook by the bass coming off a Celestian speaker. It'll develop an annoying rattle, possibly an oscillation, and then eventually two of the plates will short together and blow the fuse, tube, and possibly a couple parts for good measure. Especially in an amp like this, which isn't exactly over-built.
The Hot Rod series are made to meet a price point, that is all.

If I was going to get one at all, I'd get a head and cab. That would solve a lot of the vibration problem and also allow you just to take the head along if your rehearsal space or venue has a cab. I'd also get an Egnater Tweaker 40 or Rebel 20 instead.

[Sloan]

I had a Hot Rod Deluxe a long time ago, and while it worked, I never really liked it. There are tons of amps in that price range, especially in the used market.

[Justin J]

i had a hot rod deville. they're ok amps and can be a decent intro to tubes, but i'd be hesitant to actually recommend one to anyone. you can get a vintage fender for roughly the same cost. look into the blackface amps fender made in the '80s. they are an excellent value. handwired, too.

[Kurbis]

Thanks for the informative replies. I would definitely be using this amp for rehearsing, gigging and recording, so I guess I would need recommendations based on that.

I think I'd like an amp with spring reverb. Trem isn't really necessary. I'm looking into Fender amps now.

[johnnyseven]

I loved my HRD when I had it. Although the drive channel is crap and I changed the speaker to a Vintage 30.

[Haze]

Be sure to expand you search to the second hand market. Don't limit yourself to just what you can buy off the shelf, and especially don't limit yourself to the Fender brand. There's loads of great manufacturers from peavey to jet city etc that sound great.

[stewart]

i've had my HRD for about 3 years (bought second hand), and apart from it now needing a tube change, it's been perfectly good to me. as has been said, the drive channel is piss poor, but i only ever run it clean with pedals for dirt.

[Justin J]

here's an 80s concert on ebay. this is a really good alternative to the hot rod. i'm not sure if that's a good price in today's market (i haven't priced these things in a while), but under $500 for a hand-wired fender is a great deal. my friend uses one of these as his main amp. they're very underrated.

[Kurbis]

here's an 80s concert on ebay. this is a really good alternative to the hot rod. i'm not sure if that's a good price in today's market (i haven't priced these things in a while), but under $500 for a hand-wired fender is a great deal. my friend uses one of these as his main amp. they're very underrated.

Thanks but I'm in Canada so I usually have to use ebay.ca. Most auctions won't ship to Canada.

[Justin J]

yeah, i don't like shipping to canada either. last time i did, the guy freaked out that he had to pay customs fees.
keep an eye on canadian ebay/craigslist. vintage fenders that aren't tweed or blackface are surprisingly affordable. i used to have a '68 super reverb that i got on ebay for $700. that's what the deluxe retails for.

[Kurbis]

yeah, i don't like shipping to canada either. last time i did, the guy freaked out that he had to pay customs fees.
keep an eye on canadian ebay/craigslist. vintage fenders that aren't tweed or blackface are surprisingly affordable. i used to have a '68 super reverb that i got on ebay for $700. that's what the deluxe retails for.

That thing is sexy.

And they're all pretty expensive on Canadian ebay.

I don't really like ebay so I'll have to keep my eye on the classifieds. I'd rather try out an amp before I buy it.

[71Smallbox]

I would never recommend a Hot Rod amp for anyone. Those PCB mounted plastic input jacks are the worst idea ever, they break frequently and often can mess up your gig. Go the used SF route if you can, Vibrolux, Pro Reverb or Twin Reverb if you don't mind the weight. Even the 80's II versions are good(the tube anyway) the regular channels are basically the same as the models they take their namesakes from.

[Dingus]

I actually love my Hot Rod Deluxe, although I think the Devilles sound like total crap. I just wanted an amp with a great warm tubey clean channel and this has it. I only use it for my practice space though, so can't really comment on gigging it out frequently and the stress that might put on it. As previously mentioned the drive channel sucks, but I think they improved it in the IIIs? Although it's probably still not fantastic.

I'm a clean-snob though and my prior amp was a Roland JC-120. I'm all for dirt boxes providing the dirt instead of a dirt channel.

[stewart]

mine has been gigged (on average) 2 or 3 times a month for the past 3 years and the only trouble i've had has been a dodgy tube, and even then only because it got knocked over onstage a few months back. i haven't even bothered changing it yet as it's fine when it warms up. occasionally the drive channel spontaneously crackles when it isn't engaged, perhaps that's a dodgy solder joint. very rarely though.

i think they're good amps if you can get one 2nd hand, and MUCH lighter than a twin. also, twins have to be bone-crushingly loud before they start to break up. you'd be better getting a solid state and sticking a light overdrive in front of it than carting one of those bastards around.

/ramble

[71Smallbox]

I would never recommend a Hot Rod amp for anyone. Those PCB mounted plastic input jacks are the worst idea ever, they break frequently and often can mess up your gig. Go the used SF route if you can, Vibrolux, Pro Reverb or Twin Reverb if you don't mind the weight. Even the 80's II versions are good(the tube anyway) the regular channels are basically the same as the models they take their namesakes from.

What I meant instead of "for anyone" was people who gig alot/tour etc. These are not rugged amps but fine for rehearsal space/home use and mild gigging. The clean channel is pretty good and basic Fender sound, the drive however leaves me feeling all Meh.

[mickie08]

I would never recommend a Hot Rod amp for anyone. Those PCB mounted plastic input jacks are the worst idea ever, they break frequently and often can mess up your gig. Go the used SF route if you can, Vibrolux, Pro Reverb or Twin Reverb if you don't mind the weight. Even the 80's II versions are good(the tube anyway) the regular channels are basically the same as the models they take their namesakes from.

What I meant instead of "for anyone" was people who gig alot/tour etc. These are not rugged amps but fine for rehearsal space/home use and mild gigging. The clean channel is pretty good and basic Fender sound, the drive however leaves me feeling all Meh.

Honestly, while not overly impressive (except as a budget combo for clean tones over here) I have had 2 of them at one time or another. Both held up quite well gigging 3-4 nights per week. My current guitarist uses the deluxe version 1x12 and has had it for at least 6 years with nothing but a single tube change in that time and he gigs 4-5 nights per week often time doing double duties on some weekends. As much as I have heard that tossed around, I know of at least half a dozen regualrly gigging musicians that play these a minimum of 2 nights per week or more and do not know of a single person who has ever had to do more than retube.